The old Chevrolet Colorado was starting to show its age and its cabin and technologies were slightly behind of what you’d expect to get from a modern pickup.

Luckily, Chevrolet->ke4330 took notes and decided to come up with a completely new Colorado which represents a huge step forward in terms of style, comfort and technology.

While the old Colorado had big lacks in the comfort and safety features departments, the new generation solved all these problems.

Initially the new 2012 Chevrolet->ke4330 Camaro was launched in Thailand with a choice of turbo diesel four cylinder engines available in 2.8 and 2.5 liter displacements. Three cab configurations are offered including crew, extended and regular. Maximum towing capacity of the Colorado reaches all the way up to 6,000 lbs.

Design

The new model is based on the Colorado concept revealed last year. Continuing on the same base as the previous generation, the new Colorado comes with a futuristic design which will certainly catch a lot of attention when passing down the street.

The purposeful stance of the vehicle is assured by the raised cowl and the aggressive power dome sculpted into the hood.

The new headlights come with integrated LEDs and are mounted pretty high, further enhancing the aggressive expression of the vehicle’s front fascia.

We also like the new dual-port grille which is a modern interpretation of the unmistakable Colorado radiator grille.

There are plenty of chromed details which include the grille border, door handles, tailgate handle, mirror caps, headlamps and fog lamps surroundings. The superior trim levels are also offered with LED taillights.

Other attractive details include a streamlined “cab collar” design with a body-color hard tonneau cover on the bed.

Interior

To make the Colorado’s cab more comfortable, Chevy->ke4330’s engineers have borrowed the Captiva’s dashboard and the futuristic instrument panel from the Camaro. The result is quite impressive and the Colorado feels roomier than ever, with plenty of head and legroom, but also with an attractive interior design which is slightly ahead of what you’ll usually find in the segment. The modern cockpit is also accented by an ice-blue lighting and double-faced leather trimmed seats.

The Camaro based instrument panel comes with motorcycle-inspired, three-dimensional gauges, giving the cab a sporty look. All instruments are also pretty easy to read and you won’t have any complains about their arrangement either, as it’s fairly intuitive.

Most of the plastics and materials used for the cab are part of the first class and the fit and finish is also impressive. You won’t have any complains about the seats either, as they have plenty adjustments and come with adequate cushioning to help you get cozy behind the steering wheel.

Though, we’re not big fans of the steering wheel’s design, but it can be adjusted for both reach and rake and it’s also fitted with integrated controls to make your life on board easier.

The central console is uncluttered and every control can be used without too much fuss. The console is also fitted with a hands-free connectable Bluetooth CD/MP3/WMA sound system that is iPod- and USB-ready rewarding you a superior sound quality.

The driver is surrounded by plenty of storage compartments which include a large, dual glovebox, door pockets, various cubby holes and a covered center bin.

Engines and performance

The 2012 Chevrolet->ke4330 Colorado is available with two Duramax turbo diesel four cylinder engines.

The strongest engine is the 2.8-liter turbo-diesel unit equipped with a variable-geometry turbocharger which improves the fuel efficiency and performances. The engine feels also pretty smooth and is rated at 180 hp and 470 Nm of torque which is more than enough to provide crisp acceleration and adequate performances.

The smaller 2.5 liter engine develops a maximum output of 150 hp with 350 Nm of torque and despite being the weaker unit, it’s still able to provide enough punch to keep the vehicle nimble even when it’s fully loaded.

There is also offered an automatic six speed gearbox which is fairly smooth and comes with adequate gear ratios. You can also use it in manual mode without any problems as it offers reasonable performances.

Chevrolet Colorado Engines Specifications

Ride and handling

The entire Colorado Chassis has been completely redesigned. The vehicle rides on control arm suspensions with coil springs and a stabilizer bar up front, while at the back it gets a semi-elliptical leaf spring live axle.

The ride quality is SUV-like, the vehicle being able to deal great with road bumps. It turns corners well too and has a proper body balance at high speeds.

The rack and pinion power steering is smooth and responsive rewarding you with a proper feedback, while the front disc brakes are offered with standard ABS to offer a proper stopping power. The Colorado is also available with two airbags, traction control, stability control and panic brake assist.

Verdict

The Chevrolet->ke4330 Colorado is now more a lifestyle vehicle and less the utilitarian workhorse that it used to be. The company has solved all problems of the old generation and come up with something that offers the comfort and ergonomy of a SUV combined with the utility of a pickup truck.

The new cabin is pretty well done, with upscale materials and a top notch ergonomy, while the engines are strong enough to help you deal effortless with any payload.

The ride and handling are also part of the first class and the vehicle is able to deal great with off road driving too. Given all these positive attributes, the new Colorado could prove to be a wining card for Chevrolet.